When everything else seems to be going wrong, do something that feels right. Like enjoying a hot slice of applesauce cake topped with a brown sugar glaze, served alongside a cold scoop of ice cream.

Some days are better than others. Today? One of the bad ones. You know that hurricane that blew through my state of North Carolina over the weekend? We got wet. Not just outside, but inside.

My kitchen. My pantry. And, as we just discovered, a section of our second story roof. I see $$$ adding up in my head. I see hours dedicated to phone calls with insurance providers, contractors, and roofers. I see living in a construction zone in my future – with four kids and a business I run out of my house. Ugh. Let’s just stop talking about it, shall we?

It’s time for cake. And a glass of wine. Dontcha think?

When I get stressed, I like to cook. And I think this recipe for Applesauce Cake with a Brown Sugar Glaze fits the bill – as satisfying to bake as it is to eat. Plus, the smell of baking apples and cinnamon might just overtake the smell of wet drywall and insulation!

Applesauce Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

First up, we’ll make the applesauce for the cake. I like to use honeycrisp apples in this recipe; they’re my fave. Add apples, apple juice, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and a dash of nutmeg into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Cook until apples are tender, then remove cinnamon sticks and mash apples. Stir in ¼ tsp. Ground cinnamon and another dash of nutmeg.

Next, prepare the batter. Cream butter and sugar with a stand mixture until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, soda, salt and spices together, then alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the apple juice and vanilla to the batter. Mix until just combined. Then, add applesauce, nuts and raisins. Mix thoroughly.

Turn into pan lined with greased parchment paper and bake 2 hours at 300 degrees. It sounds like a long time, but low and slow is the way to do it for this cake!

While the cake is baking, make the glaze. In saucepan, combine ½ cup brown sugar, ⅛ cup of milk and ¼ cup of butter. Cook 2 ½ minutes after mixture comes to a boil.

Once the cake is cooked, but while it’s still warm, pour glaze over cake. If you’re a warm brownie and ice cream kinda person (so NOT my sister), you’re going to want to cut out a piece and serve it with ice cream. STAT. It’s guaranteed to get roof leaks and water damage off of your mind. Especially when served with a stiff drink.

I call dibs on the corner piece!

Applesauce Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Yield:

When everything else seems to be going wrong, do something that feels right. Like enjoying a hot slice of applesauce cake topped with a brown sugar glaze, served alongside a cold scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients

Applesauce:
8 saunders brothers honeycrisp apples
1 cup apple juice
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
Cake:
2 eggs
½ cup walnuts
2 cups sugar
1 cup apple juice
1 cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raisins
2 tsp. baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups homemade applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. each: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg
Glaze:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup milk
1/4 cup butter

Instructions

First up, we'll make the applesauce for the cake. I like to use honeycrisp apples in this recipe; they're my fave. Add apples, apple juice, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and a dash of nutmeg into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Cook until apples are tender, then remove cinnamon sticks and mash apples. Stir in ¼ tsp. Ground cinnamon and another dash of nutmeg.
Next, prepare the batter. Cream butter and sugar with a stand mixture until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, soda, salt and spices together, then alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the apple juice and vanilla to the batter. Mix until just combined. Then, add applesauce, nuts and raisins. Mix thoroughly.
Turn into pan lined with greased parchment paper and bake 2 hours at 300 degrees. It sounds like a long time, but low and slow is the way to do it for this cake!
While the cake is baking, make the glaze. In saucepan, combine ½ cup brown sugar, ⅛ cup of milk and ¼ cup of butter. Cook 2 ½ minutes after mixture comes to a boil.
Once the cake is cooked, but while it's still warm, pour glaze over cake. If you're a warm brownie and ice cream kinda person (so NOT my sister), you're going to want to cut out a piece and serve it with ice cream.

This recipe is adapted from a collection I had the pleasure to photograph and style through my work with Harris Teeter and my day job at b2k Media Marketing. For similar farm-inspired recipes, try this recipe for Kale Chips with Parmesan and my new favorite snack, Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde.